Humidity control for cooking heaters



May 24, 1932. M w FAHERTY 1,859,732

HUMIDITY CONTROL FOR COOKING HEATERS Filed Jan. 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l MI I.

I] HHHHH I ay 24, 1932' v M. w. FAHERTY 1,859,732

HUMIDITY CONTROL FOR COOKING HEATERS Filed Jan. 20, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M. [1? Faker];

Patented May 24, 1932 PATENT OFFICE MICHAEL WILLIAM FAHERTY, OF VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA HUMIDITY CONTROL FOR COOKING HEATERS Original application Serial No. 673,398, filed November 7, 1923. Divided and this application filed January 29, 1930. Serial No. 424,434.

This invention relates to a humidity control for cooking heaters or more specifically to a moisture introducing device particularly adapted for bringing the moisture content of kernels or meats of seed to the proper percentage.

A primary object of the device is to distribute the moisture so that each particle of the m'eats will receive the same amount, in any desired quantity. This is of supreme importance in obtaining the maximum yield of oil and minimizes the formation of water balls in the cooking chambers, so that the oil cakes, after pressing, are uniform throughout in density and color.

The present application is a division of my copending Patent No. 1,748,933covering the process of introducing moisture into the oil bearing material. 7

In the drawings, which show one form of the invention by way of example,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view partly in elevation, of a set of five high rollers such as is customarily employed in hydraulic oil mills, with my invention attached,

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the structure illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a detail view partly in sectionof means for controlling the fluid,

Fig. 4; is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 4.l in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a portion of the section shown in Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale.

Referring now particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts, it will be noted that there is illustrated a set of crushing rolls 10, 12 preferably five high and of the type cus tomarily employed in oil mills, the diameter and length of the rolls being dependent on the required capacity of the mill. As is customary these rolls are contained in a housing 11 and arranged in superposed relation, resting one upon the other and being relatively slidable, with the result that between the bottom rolls 12 the maximum crushing effect on the seed occurs.

These rolls may be driven in any suitable and practical manner and as this forms no part of my invention, the driving means will not be referred to nor illustrated in detail. Associated with the several rolls are the usual cant boards 13, these boards diverting or guiding the meats between the rolls as will be apparent.

Preferably secured to the rear side of the lowermost cant board 13 is a pipe 14 provided with a plurality of perforations 15, this spray pipe being supported for instance, by brackets 16 so that the liquid may be ejected therefrom and caused to impinge against the under face of this cant board and thus be spread before being discharged onto the lowermost roll 12. A plate 17 arranged in an inclined position with respect to the lowermost cant board 13, forms together with this cant board, a tapered hopper having a base forming a restricted opening 181 slightly separated from the lowermost r0 1.

Owing to the proximity of the point of dis charge of the liquid to the surface ofthe lowermost roll, this roll receives all of the liquid discharged, which forms a continuous film on the roll and is carried in the direction of rotation indicated by arrow A in Fig. 2. This causes the liquid to be completely and uniformly applied to and absorbed by the meats passing through the two lowermost rolls 12. In the ordinary mill using dry rolls, it is necessary to have the cant boards touching the rolls at the bottom to prevent the meats from dropping under them, instead of passing between the rolls. I have found that the moisture on the portion of my lowermost roll be tween the spraying device and the point of engagement with the roll above causes the meats to stick to the roll sufliciently to make them pass between the rolls, rather than to slip under the lowermost cant board, which must be slightly raised from the lowest roll to permit the film of moisture to pass under it. The maximum or greatest pressure per square inch upon the meats occurs between the two lowermost rolls and furthermore the condition of the meats, because of their by the rotation of the roll.

previous passage between the upper rolls, is most advantageous at this lower point for addition of this moisture.

Extra scrapers 19 and 20 may be provided to keep the rolls entirely clean of such material as may be inclined to adhere to the faces thereof. The material after passing between the last pair of rolls falls upon a deflecting board 13a and is discharged through an opening 21 where it is deposited upon a conveyor (not shown) and taken to the cookers.

The supply of liquid passing to the spray pipe 14 must be accurately regulated to put the correct amount of moisture in the meats for the cooking process which follows. Any device which will accurately regulate the liquid can be used for this purpose. I have shown one device in Figs. 3 and 4 which is satisfactory. In these figures the reference character 22 indicates a water supply pipe in which is interposed a strainer 23 having a perforated screen with holes sufficiently small to prevent the apertures 15 formed in the pipe 14 from becoming clogged. The pipe 22 is also provided with a coupling, one part 24 of which may be recessed to receive any one of a number of preferably steel-discs 25, each disc being formed with a centrally arranged aperture 26 of definite size. A coupling nut 27 may be unscrewed and the coupling disengaged, to insert the desired disc for accurately and positively regulating the amount of water which may be fed to the spray pipe 14. The supply pipe 22 is also preferably provided with a three-way valve 28 and a spout 29 may be provided, where the volume and weight of the liquid passing through the discs and consequently to the spray pipe 14 may be tested.

In operation the material is fed to the rolls 10 at the top thereof through a feeder (not shown) and is dropped to the left of the center of the top roll as shown in Fig. 2 whereupon it slides downwardly on the uppermost cant board and passes between the two upper rolls. By alternately arranging the cant boards, the material passes successively between the rolls, the pressure exerted upon the meats increasing until a maximum pressure is obtained between the lowermost rolls 12. A flow of liquid regulated by the aperture 26 of the disc 25 is spread upon the lowermost roll 12 behind its cant board 13 and is carried, under the bottom of the cant board. The partly crushed meats guided by the lower cant board 13 onto the moistened surface of the lowermost roll 12 are carried between the two lowermost rolls, which subject them to a final crushing and at the same time press the uniform layer of liquid on the lowermostroll. into them. All the liquid sprayed from the pipe 14 is pressed into the meats and it is therefore possible to accurately gauge their moisture content by determining what it is to start with, or bringing it to a predetermined proportion, and then supplying the correct amount of liquid tobring it up to the desired figure. Because of the greater crushing moment obtained between the lowermost rolls the moisture is more firmly and uniformly introduced into the meats than would be possible between any other rolls. T he crushing effect on the meats can be improved by heating the liquid before it is delivered to the roll, but it should not be heated enough to change it from its liquid state.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an apparatus for introducing moisture into oil bearing material upper and lower pressure rolls mounted so that one rests upon the other, means for feeding the material between said rolls, and means for forming a continuous film of liquid on the ascending surface of the lower roll in advance of the line where the material comes in contact with the lower roll.

2. In a crushing roll mill for oil bearing material, a column of superposed rolls, cant boards arranged alternately at opposite sides of said rolls in position to guide the oil hearing material to the successive crushing places of said column of rolls, and means for spreading a film of liquid upon the lowermost roll of said column behind the lowermost of said cant boards, the lower edge of said lowermost cant board being slightly spaced from said lowermost roll to permit the film of liquid on said roll to pass under said cant board.

The foregoing specification signed at Oakland, California, this 26th day of January, 1930.

MICHAEL WILLIAM FAHERTY. 

